Managers are said to build or break an organization. Managers are primarily responsible for linking employees to leadership and influencing productivity, engagement, and business outcomes. To ensure their success, what is needed? A clear and strategic development goals for managers.
Whether you are a new team leader or a seasoned head of the department, working on the right development goals for managers ensures that you are evolving along with your team and the ever-evolving business environment.
In this article, we’ll dive into:
- What a Manager Development Plan Is
- Why Setting Development Goals for Managers Matters
- The Top 7 Development Goals for Managers in 2025
- How to Build a Development Plan That Works
What Is a Manager Development Plan?
A Manager Development Plan is a structured approach to identifying and acting on particular development goals for managers that align with company goals and individual leadership development. These plans assist managers in enhancing certain skills that are either new or existing through training, coaching, or on-the-job experience.
An effective development plan consists of:
- A performance review of self and team
- Development Goals defined for Managers through skill gaps
- A time target with milestones for measurement
- Budget and resource support for learning
The elaboration of a clear framework enables organizations to provide a common platform for the leadership development processes.
Why Development Goals for Managers Matter
Growth is a continuous process even for top-performing leaders. Setting and reviewing development goals for managers keeps them nimble, relevant, and prepared for the challenges of tomorrow.
The Investment in Strategic Development Goals for Managers is very important in creating future pipelines of leaders makes better-made decisions and thus increases the retention rate of employees. According to a research study conducted by the Center for Creative Leadership, organizations that have stronger leadership development program bases are 84 percent more likely to have strong leadership benches in place, which ultimately influences better performance and profitability.
Moreover, effective management determines the level of employee retention. The average cost to hire a person in Australia has more than doubled, from $10,500 in 2020 to $23,860 in 2021, according to a survey completed by ELMO Software and the Australian HR Institute. Such a rise demonstrates the strong cost benefits of keeping people through good management development and justifies the investment in development goals for managers as both strategic and cost-effective.
Top 7 Development Goals for Managers in 2025
The Development Goals below for Managers are important for their success in 2025. These are both transversal and applicable to all industries in creating high-performing, future-ready teams.
1. Improve Emotional Intelligence
Developing one’s Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is one of the most important development goals for managers. A high EQ leader has the ability to relate well to his/her team members, resolve conflict, and build trust.
How to achieve it:
- Practice self-awareness and active listening
- Ask for regular feedback
- Maintain calm in high-stress situations
2. Improve Coaching and Mentorship Skills
Fostering is no longer an option; it is one of the top development goals for managers for 2025. Employees want help, support, and career development.
How to achieve it:
- Conduct regular growth-oriented 1-on-1s
- Using guided questions, encourage autonomy
- Develop unique learning paths
3. Master Remote and Hybrid Leadership
With flexible work arrangements becoming the norm, remote leadership is fast becoming one of the most urgent development goals for managers today.
How to achieve it:
- Use digital collaboration tools effectively
- Create team rituals for connection
- Lead with transparency and trust
4. Become Data-Literate
Making decisions based on analytics is one of the most transformative development goals for managers. Data literacy is now more of a leadership competency than ever before.
How to achieve it:
- Know the KPIs relevant to your department.
- Learn how to navigate through dashboard reports.
- Data should be used to identify trends and predict potential results.
5. Lead Change with Agility
Agile leadership epitomizes top development goals for managers in transformative changes. Be it new equipment, restructuring, or growing, a manager must confidently lead through the changes.
How to achieve it:
- Study change management models like Kotter or ADKAR.
- Clear and prompt communication
- A major part of this change process includes involving the team in creating solutions.
6. Foster Inclusive and Equitable Workplaces
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs work only when they become the priority for managers. Inclusive leadership is among the most profound social-changing development goals for managers.
How to achieve it:
- Attending DEI workshops
- Identifying and challenging implicit bias
- Affirming diverse voices in meetings and hiring practices.
7. Prioritize Health and Wellbeing—for Yourself and Your Team
A healthy team begins with an equally healthy leader. The most sustainable goal any manager can hope for is modeling well-being, balance, and boundaries.
How to achieve it:
- Normalize talking about mental health
- Set boundaries as far as work hours
- Recognize the signs of burnout early
How to Build a Manager Development Plan That Works
Now that you know the top development goals for managers, how do you turn them into a working plan?
Step-by-step guide:
1. Self-Assessment
Start by encouraging managers to reflect on their own leadership style, strengths, and areas for improvement. This honest evaluation helps surface blind spots and uncover opportunities for personal and professional growth. It lays the foundation for personalized development goals for managers that are relevant and meaningful.
2. Feedback Loop
Move Beyond a Self-Perception-By-Implementing 360-Degree Feedback. Capture voices from peers, direct reports, and supervisors to have a complete view of a manager’s performance. Finally, this feedback tells how to re-examine or reaffirm previously set development goals for managers on a Self-Assessment.
3. Goal Setting
Now, work with each manager to set 3-5 goals that are specific, actionable, and realistic for their use in the year ahead. development goals for managers should be personal aspirations, aligned with wider business agendas. Ensure that each of them meets the SMART goals criteria Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, and all.
4. Set a Timeline
There are strict timelines and checkpoints related to each of these goals. A clear timeline-whether for instance its a three-month milestone or yearly target-is effective in creating focus and accountability. It is also effective in helping follow up and track the development pace and realignment of the plan if necessary.
5. Invest in Training
Support each goal with practical learning opportunities such as leadership training, workshops, mentorship programs, or on-the-job coaching. Systematic learning ensures that managers have the tools and resources to succeed in achieving their development goals.
6. Track Progress
Create a method to assess how progress would be tracked over time. Evaluate each manager’s success against goals through consistent performance reviews, one-on-one check-ins, and group feedback. Tracking ensures that development goals for managers are not just established but actually achieved and refinements can be made.
Tip: Align performance goals for managers with business objectives. Thus, the growth is shared, both for the leaders and the organization.
Final Thoughts
Whether it is a growing team or a huge department, setting and pursuing clear development goals for managers becomes the key to long-term success. These goals also enhance an individual’s leadership capability and eventually increase employee engagement, retention, and business outcomes.
The best leaders are those who prioritize emotional intelligence, embrace change, lead inclusion, and make decisions based on data. The good news? All of these skills can be learned and honed with intention and support.
Start small. Select two effective development goals for managers, and build from there. As your managers grow, so do those organizations’ abilities to thrive in an ever-changing world.
